MUMBAI: The festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated across India, though different states have different names and distinct rituals and festivities. &TV artists who belong to different parts of the country, including Akshay Mhatre (Varun Agarwal, Ghar Ek Mandir-Kripa Agrasen Maharaja Ki), and Soma Rathod (Amma ji, Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai) talk about the various ways and rituals of celebrating Makar Sankranti in their respective hometowns.
Akshay Mhatre as Varun Agarwal in &TV’s Ghar EK Mandir-Kripa Agrasen Maharaja Ki shares, “Makar Sankranti is celebrated with a lot of joy in Maharashtra. My most favourite part of the festival is savoring the multicoloured halwa made of sugar granules coated with sugar syrup and til-gul laddoo made of sesame seeds and jaggery. The mouthwatering puran poli toasted in pure ghee is also a must have on this special occasion! I literally wait for this festival every year to dig into these authentic Maharashtrian delicacies. Til-gul is exchanged as a token of goodwill by saying ‘til gul ghya aani god god bola’. I am definitely going to miss Makar Sankranti this year in Mumbai but at the same time will celebrate it with my Ghar EK Mandir-Kripa Agrasen Maharaja Ki family in a new way in Jaipur.”
Soma Rathod as Amma ji from &TV’s Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai shares, “We call it Makar Sankrant Uttarayan in Gujarati, and it is one of the most awaited festivals in Gujarat which is stretched for two days! In order to cut their competitors kite down, people put abrasives on the string and scream ‘kai po che’ with joy. The vibe is very different, and you can feel positive energy all round. A variety of delicacies such as Undhiyu made by baking a mix of winter vegetables, chikkis made of til, peanuts and jaggery, and other special recipes are prepared to celebrate this special day. “
Tune in to watch Baal Shiv at 8:00 pm, Ghar Ek Mandir-Kripa Agrasen Maharaja Ki at 9:00 pm, and Bhabiji Ghar Par Hai at 10:30 pm airing every Monday to Friday only on &TV
